Research Team


Patricia Deldin

Patricia Deldin, Ph.D., is a Professor at the University of Michigan in the Departments of Psychology (in Clinical Science and CCN) and Psychiatry. Before that she was a professor, for 9 years, at Harvard University. She received her B.A. with honors from the University of Iowa and her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is the Deputy Director of the University of Michigan Depression Center. Additionally, she helped to launch the National Network of Depression Centers as a founding board member. She has published nearly 90 peer-reviewed articles on depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia with a focus on the neural correlates of major depression. Dr. Deldin and her team are studying Mood Lifters programs as a potential way to help many people worldwide who aren’t receiving sufficient mental health care. Her intention is to provide people in pain, wherever they are and whatever their means, with instant, broad access to effective, evidence-based mental health treatment. Her dream is to tap into the work of the world’s best mental health researchers and make an expanding set of resources available to improve lives everywhere.


Neema Prakash

Neema is a doctoral candidate in the program for Clinical Science at the University of Michigan. She received her B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, & Neuroscience from the University of Michigan in 2021. During her graduate studies, she hopes to develop, study, and implement accessible mental health care interventions in underserved communities. She plans on doing this by studying Mood Lifters in multiple populations. Her current research focuses on studying Mood Lifters in graduate student and young professional populations. She has earned multiple teaching awards during her time at UM.


Elena Pokowitz

Elena is a doctoral candidate in clinical science at the University of Michigan with Dr. Patricia Deldin. She received her B.S. in cognitive science and child development and her M.Ed. in clinical and developmental research from Vanderbilt University in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Elena is interested in the improvement of accessible mental health care services and hopes to encourage systemic change in the way we approach treatment for the general population. She plans to study Mood Lifters from a program level and is interested in using mixed methods approaches to do so. Elena is currently studying Mood Lifters in undergraduate students and was recently awarded the 2024 ACHF Stephan D. Weiss Student Mental Health Award.


Coreena Forstner

Coreena is a doctoral student in the Joint Ph.D. Program in Social Work and Clinical Psychology at the University of Michigan, working under the mentorship of Dr. Patricia Deldin in Psychology and Dr. Lindsay Bornheimer in Social Work. She earned her B.S. in Psychology from Eastern Michigan University in 2023 and is expected to receive her MSW from the University of Michigan in 2026. Their research plan includes studying the effectiveness of the Mood Lifters program in populations with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia who have been formerly incarcerated. Throughout her graduate studies, Coreena aims to address systemic issues at the intersection of mental health and the criminal legal system, driven by her passion for understanding the psychological and societal dynamics within these contexts.


Taylor Stacy

Taylor is a senior at the University of Michigan and a research assistant in the EPICS lab. She is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Crime and Justice. She is currently working on her thesis, which explores the relationship between Mood Lifters group attendance and improvement of depression symptoms. After graduation, she is planning on going to medical school.


Sophia Oprandi

Sophia Oprandi (she/her) is a senior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Spanish Language, Literature, and Culture. Working on Mood Lifters allows her to practice her data analysis skills while passionately making a change in the mental health world. She is currently writing a manuscript summarizing Mood Lifters’ effectiveness in specific populations. Following graduation, she hopes to achieve her Masters in Social Work before practicing therapy. Mood Lifters delivers some of the accessible, powerful resources that could be used in her future, and she is excited to assist in its development while helping others.


Nick Dominijanni

Nick is a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Michigan and a research assistant in the EPICS lab. He is majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience on the premed track. He loves working on the Mood Lifters project because he can gain hands-on experience aiding people’s mental health. After graduation, he plans on pursuing an MD and specializing in psychiatry.


Jacquelyn Wrubel

Jacquelyn “JQ” Wrubel is a senior at the University of Michigan, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Community Action and Social Change. She hopes to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology, focusing on supporting POC populations. In 2024, JQ was named the George Orley Student Mental Health Advocate Award for her contributions to the EPICS lab, Wolverine Support Network, and PRISM. She is grateful for the opportunity to improve mental health care accessibility through the Mood Lifters project.


Gabriella Onderdonk

Ella is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Michigan and a research assistant in the EPICS Lab. She is pursuing a degree in Psychology, with a minor in Spanish Language, Literature, and Culture. Working as a part of the EPICS Lab and directly interacting with participants through Mood Lifters allows her to build experience in mental health research while actively making a difference in the lives of others. After graduating she is interested in pursuing a career in child and adolescent psychology, with the hope of giving kids and teens the tools they need to succeed in life.


Imogen Bylinsky

Imogen (Gigi) is a junior majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience with a minor in Asian Languages & Culture (Mandarin). She is so excited to work at the EPICS lab through Mood Lifters, where quality mental health care can be made accessible. She is very passionate about advancing mental health care through research and hopes to pursue this passion in graduate school. 


Sushmitha Peddireddy

Sushmitha is a second-year undergraduate at the University of Michigan, majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. She is very enthusiastic about working with the Mood Lifters project and having the opportunity to combat depression, stress, and anxiety through research. She is excited to gain experience in psychological research and grow through working with the EPICS Lab. After graduation, she hopes to pursue either an MD or PhD in neuroscience.


Chelsea Coon

Chelsea is a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Michigan, majoring in Psychology and Spanish. She is excited to work on the Mood Lifters program and assist in improving wellbeing in other undergraduates via data analysis. After graduation, Chelsea hopes to pursue a graduate education in clinical psychology, utilizing her skills in data management and collaboration gained from the Mood Lifters lab.


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